Bahia Principe Luxury Ambar Adults Only - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

13999 reviews

• 

  Extreme hot water issue.

  Average stay, buffet food was very repetitive even on specialty evenings. For example on Italian night the only addition I could see was a pan of lasagna. Our corner room was spacious and very clean but had an issue with extremely hot water only coming out of the shower and requested this issue be resolved on day 2, again on day 4 and nothing was repaired nor was a room change available.

  Apr 15, 2025
• 

  Could be better

  We had fun time but a lot of minor annoyances. Firstly, their app for the resort really sucks. It is a big place. The restaurants to book are scattered among 5 resorts. The map on the app makes it impossible to find places such as restaurants. Secondly, they create unnecessary stress booking restaurants. We did not book until we got there because we had a group of 6 (you need the room numbers to book which adds extra confusion.) they made it seem like we were getting the last spot and gave inconvenient times, but when we got to the restaurant there were MANY empty tables EVERY NITE. (No one tells you but if you book a late table but show up much earlier, they will seat you no questions asked.) Third, the staff here is less than ideally helpful. They need to train their staff MUCH better. For example, we would ask how to get to a restaurant but would consistently be given wrong directions. The food here is good but not great. The drinks are not very strong. There is poor notification of the shows and activities among the resorts. This resort is ok but definitely could be better experience.

  Apr 15, 2025
• 

  Relaxing vacation with great memories

  My wife and I are in our 60’s and this is the first time going to an adult only resort. Overall we had an amazing time at the Ambar. From the minute we stepped off the shuttle the above average service started. While checking in we were given a cold cloth to wipe our face…and a tropical cocktail. We were escorted to our beautiful room and the concierge gave us a tour of the rooms amenities. An example of their expectations, the concierge apologized because we had a very small puddle on our deck from recent rain. The food was amazing with many options. The main buffet had so many choices. The hostess and service staff were so friendly and quick to refill drinks, clear plates, etc. We had similar great service at the beach restaurant, but with reduced food choices…but still lots to choose from. The al a carte’s varied in service. We went to the steak restaurant as well as the Italian restaurant. Amazing!!! Food was great with lots of choices and the service was top notch. Felt like a special night out. However, not so with the Mexican restaurant and we heard similar tales from other guests. Staff were unfriendly and didn’t engage us at all. We were the first to be seated in an empty restaurant and they sat us directly next to a pop dispenser. When we asked be moved, they moved us to a deck table overlooking the beach, and then we waited 15 minutes to get our water. Service was slow throughout. Food was good but you might have to wait for it. The grounds were immaculate. Employees were everywhere making sure all areas were clean and maintained. They definitely take pride in making sure everything looks beautiful. The one thing we learned as seniors…”adult only” includes 18 years old and up. The pool area was beautiful, but when the entertainment committee got things going at select times throughout the day, the pool area got very loud and sometimes a bit rowdy. After 3:00 each day, the pool really ramped up so we usually walked on the beach or went to the lobby bar and listened to the entertainment. Definitely not a show stopper though. The one thing we have not seen before…..the pre-dawn competition to get a shady spot under an umbrella at the pool, or a grass umbrella on the beach. Thankfully I am an early riser, but by 6:00am most of the shady spots were already reserved. Every day I would get up at 5:00am and reserve a grass umbrella. (Much quieter at the beach area) No big deal for me because I love the early morning reading and watching the sun rise. The entertainment was great…from the lobby entertainment to the nightly entertainment throughout the resort. Some tidbits…make sure you take “After Bite” cream. The sand fleas weren’t bad but we did get a few bites on our legs. And while you will need a handful of $1’s for tipping, you can exchange larger bills at the front desk. We usual tipped $2 for breakfast and lunch, and $5 for the al a carte’s. Don’t hesitate to jump in one of the many trams to explore the village or other resorts. Lots to see. Overall, this is truly a beautiful resort with lots to offer all ages. We were constantly greeted by friendly staff regardless of where we were. We will definitely go back.

  Apr 10, 2025
• 

  So so stay

  Me and my wife visited the resort for our 48 th wedding anniversary all the staff is very friendly . A special thank you to Ricardo the mixologist food was ok. Beach area clean but not enough shade unless you get up at 5 am to get your spot under a palapa. The only complaint that I have is that I had I little accident while attending a rum testing by the pool while sitting down at the table it was a l Bit windy and one of the umbrella came off the bottom peace and hitting me on the head quite hard and left me with a big headache and a bump for a few days filed a report with the front desk. But unfortunately no one from the management ever followed up to see if I was ok. That was a big disappointment. Other than that stay was ok

  Apr 09, 2025
• 

  The worst hotel experience we have ever had.

  The worst hotel experience we have ever had. Let me start from the first day. While we were checking in, we requested that one of our rooms be on the first floor since we were traveling with an elderly person, and it was difficult for her to go up the stairs. The front desk agent accommodated our request and gave us a first-floor room. However, when we arrived at the room, we found that it had an open shower and bathroom. Since there were three of us in the room, we were unable to use the shower and bathroom unless the others were not present. I returned to the front desk to request a room change, but I was informed that no rooms were available until the next day. As a result, we had to take turns using the shower and bathroom until we could switch rooms. Additionally, on our first night, we were told that we could not dine at any of the restaurants except the one next to the lobby because all the others were fully booked. (I suspect the employees expected a tip to make a reservation.) Consequently, we had to have dinner at the buffet. We tried different dishes, but the quality of the food was poor, so we left hungry. The next day, we discovered that the second room we booked had no cold water. My husband and son-in-law were unable to use the bathroom or take a shower. When they informed one of the employees on their floor, the employee mentioned that the three rooms, including theirs, always had water problems and that management was aware of this issue. Despite this knowledge, they still assigned us that room. As a result, my husband and son-in-law had to go to the front desk to request a room change. They were able to switch rooms, but at this point, I strongly believe that both of our rooms should have been upgraded or, at the very least, one night should have been compensated due to the inconveniences we faced. However, we had to pay for the upgrade, and as management may already know, tipping seemed to be an unspoken requirement. Employees at your hotel ask for tips even before services are provided. While dealing with these room issues, we were unable to use any of the hotel amenities that we had paid for. Furthermore, the minibar in room 64207 was not working. When we brought this up with an employee, we were told that it takes time for beverages to cool. However, during our entire stay, we were never able to drink cold beverages from our minibar and had to request ice daily. On our second night, we managed to make a dinner reservation, but our plans changed. A fellow guest at the hotel informed us that he had stayed there twice before and that reservations were not actually necessary—the employees simply made it seem difficult to get a table in order to receive tips. Based on this information, we walked into Limbo and were seated for dinner without any issues. However, the food and drinks were disappointing, with no real flavor except for the coconut shrimp and tenderloin. Overall, it was an average experience. On the third night, we dined at the steakhouse and the Italian restaurant. The food and service were good, and we had no issues. On our fourth day, my mother had diarrhea, and we had to see the doctor. The doctor suggested it was likely dehydration, but we believe it was caused by the fish she ate. We were charged $15 for Gatorade. We chose not to make a big deal out of it because she started feeling better later that night. On our fifth day, we made a 6:30 PM reservation at El Olivo. However, due to a long line of people waiting for a golf cart at the pool area, we had to walk to the lobby to get transportation, causing us to arrive 20 minutes late. When we tried to check in with the host, she refused to accommodate us, stating that we were late, even though the restaurant was nearly empty. We explained why we were late, but she ignored us and continued saying no. I asked her to call a manager. Unfortunately, the manager’s attitude was no different from hers. After some back and forth, he finally gave us a table. I reminded him that we were paying guests at the hotel and that we had to eat somewhere. There was no reason to make my elderly mother wait unnecessarily. Eventually, we were seated and had our last meal at the hotel. Since most guests check out in the morning, we wanted to check out at night to avoid long lines. On Tuesday, March 11, around 12:05 AM, we went to the front desk to check out and pay our bill so we could leave early. However, the agent appeared to have no understanding of the checkout process. He kept telling us to return in the morning. We had to explain our request at least five or six times. Even after providing our names, surnames, and room numbers, it took him over 10 minutes to locate our rooms. Once he found them, we asked him to print our invoices so we could review and confirm the charges. First, he said he could print them, but then he claimed he had no printer paper. He then offered to show us the invoice on his computer screen instead. By this time, it was almost 12:20 AM, and we just wanted to move forward with payment. When checking the invoice for room 60102, he stated there was only a $5 charge, which we agreed to pay in cash. However, when reviewing room 64207’s bill, he said we had a $170 charge. We asked him to go over the charges for verification. He also informed us of a $70 spa charge, but we had never used the spa. Despite us insisting that we never visited the spa, he kept saying we had and that we had to pay. He also repeatedly asked us to pay in cash. We requested proof of the charge, as extra charges typically require a signed check. He said he couldn’t provide proof but insisted we pay. We asked to speak with a manager, but he claimed there was no manager on duty. Instead, he made a phone call and spent nearly 10 minutes talking, followed by another 10 minutes searching through physical invoices. By 1:00 AM, we were exhausted and just wanted to check out. He couldn’t find any spa invoices linked to us, yet he still demanded payment. We repeatedly asked for a manager, but instead, he called security on us before finally calling a manager. When I asked why he initially claimed there was no manager, he had no response. Miraculously, five minutes before the manager arrived, he was suddenly able to print our invoices—something he previously said was impossible. When we finally spoke to the manager, he confirmed that we had no spa charges and apologized for the misunderstanding. We also informed him that the front desk agent refused to provide an invoice and was pressuring us to pay cash. The manager seemed to understand what was happening and assured us he would report the incident to the general manager (GM) and take appropriate action, including providing compensation. However, the night manager informed us that the GM would not be available until 9 AM. We returned to the front desk at 8:00 AM to speak with a manager before leaving, but we were made to wait another 10 minutes because the managers were hiding in their offices. Eventually, we spoke with a supervisor who was very polite and apologetic. After listening to our concerns, he assured us that he would inform the GM and that we would receive a follow-up via email. He also stated that he would compensate us for the $170 charge. However, I am still being charged for it and have yet to receive any compensation. In conclusion, I believe these issues are recurring at your hotel. If the GM is reading this, I urge you to change the entire culture of your establishment. What you are providing is not hospitality. While I understand that it is a large hotel, these types of service failures ruin guests’ experiences. Guests are paying to stay and dine at your hotel, yet the level of service is unacceptable. Additionally, I have witnessed employees at the pool bars drinking from shakers and being intoxicated while on duty, making them incapable of serving guests properly. I have photographic evidence of multiple food safety violations, and I intend to share them with your corporate team and on social media to prevent others from experiencing what I did. Feel free to contact me at dcfranco1@aol.com.

  Apr 08, 2025